Race discrimination: Damages for personal injury may be awarded under Race Relations Act

Employment tribunals have jurisdiction to award compensation for the statutory tort of unlawful racial discrimination under the Race Relations Act, including damages for physical or psychiatric injury caused by the tort, holds the Court of Appeal in Sheriff v Klyne Tugs (Lowestoft) Ltd [1999] IRLR 481. A claim in respect of such personal injury should thus normally be made to the tribunal at the same time as the complaint of discrimination to avoid the application of the doctrine of res judicata.